Cartoons

Follow @BoredCricket

player profiles

Bored Invents

There are many things you can blame Bhajji for, but Ajit Agarkar’s return to the limited over’s team, surely not. This Ranji, this Agarkar fellah has been scoring runs like, to put it crudely, Bhajji. With Bhajji, the lower order all-rounder, the bowler who bosses around with his bat, has made headlines, extended deadlines, that kinda thing.

In short, India’s batty about the bowler who can bat; to hell with what he bowls. Now Agrakar has scored big this Ranji. Fast fifties like he’s working at McDonald’s. And he bowls too, didn’t he always – seeing that Ishant’s 8 runs per over are more than acceptable for ODIs, how bad can Agarkar’s five point something be – ok, you’re thinking, if he goes for five point something, Chetan Bhagat will go nuts again – claim credits for the runs scored of Agarkar’s bowling.

Other than that I can’t think of any reason to keep Agarkar away – Ishant comes and goes as the mobile that calls him pleases, why not Agarkar? Like I said, he can bat. And by now, surely he has nothing to lose. Also, if Sami can comeback, why not the boy who “might go for a few but he is a wicket taking bowler. It will make Shastri chatty. And we’ll all have someone new old to blame.

14 comments:

NC, surely Agarkar is much much better than the guys we have now. For all his expensive bowling, Agarkar always delivered on the wickets column. Not for nothing does he have one of the best ODI strike rates. Added to his bowling is his presence in the outfield - safe and quick - which we don't get from the other bowlers. In the days of 300+ totals, AA's consistently expensive 5.5 is so much better.....

Well said. Indeed, he was born ahead of his time. Dhoni came up with the 8-1 field in 2008, but Agarkar has bowled to this field all his life....only to be dismissed as a dispenser of long hops. Such foresight and tactical acumen in addition to the obvious talent!

Prabu, what goes against him is time spent away from the side; do MS or the selectors want him; if they pick him, will it be two steps back; the media's take - not quite like Ramps' pick for the Ashes, but it will be a bold move nonetheless.

I agree, he could be better than some of the guys - but I'm not for picking bowlers on the basis of their batting. I'd rather look out for a outright strike bowler.

Guess I'm plain curious, what can AA do now, where is he as a cricketer?

3rd on the list of wicket-takers with the best SR, 2nd lowest average (1st is Kapil) and the highest economy rate in the top 8. His economy is 5.07 Vs Zaheer is 4.93. It is a travesty that he is not even in the reckoning as he should be. I won't be surprised if he comes back though, given that Srikkanth is the Chairman of selectors. It was Sri, as the Indian A coach, in 1998 that recommended higher honors for AA after his performances for the Ind A team against the WI. However, it is quite clear that he is not in Dhoni's circle which would hamper his chances big time. Things could be different if Mumbai win the Ranji final though - to the Ranji victors goes the spoils always and AA is definitely one of the better performers for Mumbai this season.